Untitled I
by Seph Lorraine
Summary: AU RanKen. Every time Ken gets a new roommate, they always become romantically involved. Finally in his senior year of university, Ken decides to break the cycle.


I'm beginning to think I recycle my ideas a bit zu oft (but I can't resist AU's and university/school fics). At any rate, I'm already aware of the OOC. I'm just playing with this piece. Recommend a title, if you feel so inclined? I would appreciate it.

10 October 2005, _Seph Lorraine_

* * *

**I. _Happening Again_**

It was happening again. He had that hazy yet certain feeling that someone was specifically addressing him, but he couldn't hear them. Well, in all actuality, he could hear them, but he was at a loss to comprehend what was being said. It was just that...

Had he always twisted his hair like that?

Brown eyes focused solely on the twitching of fingers, spinning just past ear-length strands of red hair between pale, nimble fingers. The face beneath those red locks was turned away, however, alternately focused between listening closely and speaking intently in low tones to a brunet man of about his own age. Probably another one of those Poli-Sci's he was always running with.

But had he always twisted his hair like that?

"Ken!"

Brown eyes jerked away, remembering the incomprehensible voice, and turned to face the figure sitting to his left with a vague gaze, "Yes?"

Omi was watching him with cloudy, unamused blue-eyes, "You haven't heard a thing I've just said to you." A hiccup proceeded the statement.

Ken frowned, still appearing somewhat detached, "Yea, I have. Some sod about making statistics charts for increasing levels of atmospheric pressure in correlation to present bullshit and what have you."

"Beautifully put, Ken-kun. I thank you for that one." A withering glance away as the blond sophomore took a sip from his glass. The drink had certainly warmed him up more than he had been anticipating.

"Please forgive me if I lack the genetic competence for computer sciences and weather studies. My mother was a horrible woman, if it's of any consolation." The brunet rolled his eyes and glanced back at the redhead on the other side of the room; the fingers had stopped.

"That is just the type of chauvinistic statement I would expect from you."

"Says you. You're only taking that modern feminism class to meet girls." Ken moved over on the couch as Youji appeared to take a seat beside him.

The tall blonde frowned, "You make it sound as if it's a bad thing."

"It is." The youngest sighed and took another sip, smacking his lips thoughtfully. The weird concoction in his glass was now tasting a lot better than it had at first.

"But you have to admit, my idea has merit."

"If only you could put that brilliant mind of your to doing something useful. Like those clever napkin arrangements that are preset on the plates in fancy restaurants like Le Scala." Ken paused dramatically, "Oh wait, you got _fired_ from that job, didn't you."

Youji reached over and pinched the brunet on the thigh causing the other man to yelp slightly and smack the other man back against the arm.

Ken huffed and sunk a little further into the back of the couch. "And this party really sucks, by the way."

"Aye." The eldest sighed and frowned as Omi took yet another sip from his glass and hiccuped slightly, "What are you drinking, chibi?"

"It was supposed to be virgin, whatever it was. But I'm feeling kind of really good right now, so I'm not entirely sure if the guy at the bar heard me correctly." The petit blond squeaked as he was assaulted with another hiccup.

Youji made some comment. Omi made some retort. Ken heard neither because, despite his attempt to listen to his companions' ridiculous banter, it was happening again. Perhaps the fourth time this evening alone. It was driving him mad.

This time, it wasn't the finger tapping, or the knee-rubbing, or even the ever-familiar hair-twirling. It wasn't anything so discrete that his eyes could examine innocently. It just had to be one of those sweet, small twitches that could only lead to sweeter thoughts.

He was biting his lip.

The brunet frowned subconsciously as he watched the motion.

Brilliantly white teeth pressed firmly into pink flesh, not a hard pressure, but firm. They withdrew and a moist tongue took their place, slickening closed lips to leave them slightly parted when the teeth replaced their pressure.

What a waste to leave such nice lips to such common treatment, despite the beauty of such a small movement. An absolute waste to leave those lips lonely together, that tongue with no partner for a midnight dance. Such a scandal to leave that smiling mouth-- a rare motion, that smile, but his company seemed to have made him laugh somehow-- unaffected by the sweet force of another.

Or would the other man's company soon lay those thoughts to dust and press his own lips in lustful intensity against the object of his attention?

"Ken?"

"Aa, bollocks." The brunet squeezed his eyes shut tight and turned to bury his face in the shoulder of the tall blonde beside him.

"What's wrong with you?" Green eyes were watching him inquisitively and he raised his unoccupied hand to awkwardly pat the brunet.

"Mmph mm mmph mp mmph mm mrrrr mmrrrmmrrrm!"

Youji frowned, "If you want me to understand that, you'll need to speak to me and not my scarf, Kenken."

"Don't let me go back to my dormroom!" He clarified, momentarily raising his head from the other man's neck before burying it once more.

"I see. And why is that?"

"Because I'm going to end up fucking my roommate."

The lanky blond let out a sudden, single bark of laughter, "The hell!"

Ken made a slightly growling sound a bit the soft skin of the other man's neck from his convenient position.

"Ouch, dammit!" Youji made to shake the other man off of his arm.

Brown eyes glared half-heartedly as their owner retreated into his previous sitting position and reached for his own drink.

"Then don't get completely wasted and you'll decrease the chance." The older man reached to snatch away the glass but withdrew when the other man addressed him with a very feline hiss.

Omi giggled slightly, having just finished his drink, "You're acting awfully preditact..." He drifted off, vaguely trying to remember the word he was searching for.

"Predatorial?" The eldest supplied.

"Yes." He nodded thoughtfully, wobbling a bit as he leaned forward in his seat, "You're acting awfully predatorial tonight, Ken-kun."

Ken blinked, "Thank you, Omi."

"You're welcome." The sophomore looked slightly confused.

Youji sighed heavily, "Well, I have a class in the morning, so I must be off. And I suppose someone's got to get the chibi back to his room; might as well be me."

"Just don't molest him, please." Ken muttered, finishing off his drink quickly.

"Molest me?" Omi frowned, "I don't think that's a very good idea."

"I'll be gentle." The eldest smirked, walking around the small coffee table to help lift the reluctant blond to a standing position.

Blue eyes widened, "You're joking right?"

"I am."

"Wha... Ok, it's ok then." Omi calmed and began to put a little more effort into lifting himself.

Ken sighed and stood as well, "Guess I'm off, too. Maybe if I'm asleep by the time he gets in I won't just jump him or anything."

The playboy shook his head, "You've got it something bad."

"No, he's just..." He paused to glance back over at the object of his earlier focus. The redhead was now nodding in agreement with something the other man was saying to him. The two of them looked very involved and important like that. "..._really_ hot."

Youji laughed as they all headed towards the door, "You've been saying this since August, Kenken."

"So?"

"So, it's November now. You're usually more impetuous than this."

"He's my _roommate_."

"So? Didn't stop you with Kase."

"Ugh." The brunet shoved the taller man slightly, "That _did_ end stupidly, if you care to remember, and I don't want to get a reputation as the guy whojumps all his roommates."

"You didn't freshman year, did you?"

"Yes, Yuriko in the community apartment we shared."

Youji muffled his laughter and kept walking, dragging a now dozing Omi along.

* * *

Ken kicked off his shoes into a thoughtless mess by the door as he entered his room, flipping on the light and thinking better of changing to just pass out and wait for his morning headache. He glanced momentarily at the mirror on the back of the door as he reached for the switch again.

His smooth brown hair was longer now, tips just brushing at the joint of his head and neck. He wore a semi-tight black shirt and not completely fitted denim trousers. His frame was almost eerily thin despite the slight texture of muscle that came from such frequent activity. He wouldn't have called himself anything remarkable, but he would have certainly dared to admit he looked pretty good this evening.

He shook his head and flipped the switch off, crossing the room to collapse onto his bed. The darkness of the room was nice, but always felt somewhat imprisoning when he was alone. He later vaguely recalled shutting his eyes as he stared at the thin lines of outter lamplight that seeped in through the blinds.

* * *

The door opened and shut with a few quiet clicks, and there were sounds of some quiet shuffling. Shoes were kicked aside and a jacket tossed into a chair as the owner of both quietly crossed the room to his own bed and fell back with a sigh, not bothering with the light. 

"Mmmm... Ran?" Ken blinked out of his half-wakened stupor to glance through the unseeing darkness to where he knew his roommate now lay.

"Hm? I thought you were asleep." The voice was quiet, as per usual.

"Kind of."

"Aa. Didn't mean to wake you." The voice didn't really sound apologetic.

"You sighed."

"Hn."

Ken made an exasperated sound and turned onto his side to glare through the darkness at the other man, still barely able to make out his shape, "So, what happened?"

"What do you mean?"

"You sighed."

"Yea, so?"

"It was a girly, romantic sigh. You hooked up with someone. So, spill."

Ken sniggered as he saw the redhead raise his middle finger in the light of the blinds.

"Your life is so boring, Ran. You can't let something interesting happen and not share with the class."

Ran was quiet, muttering something beneath his breath, "Was just some guy, he's in some of my classes, also a political science maj--"

"I _knew_ it!" The brunette rolled his eyes.

"What?"

"You get off on classroom discussion outside of the class, Ran. Face it; you're a loser."

"Thank you. Now that the prom queen has made her social mandate, I assume she'll want her beauty rest." The redhead's voice was flat.

Ken laughed, "You know, I wasn't really sleeping before you came in, you know."

"Really?" Amusement.

"I was imagining all the erotic things you want to do to my body but just can't get up the balls to actually do."

"Well that's not conceited of you at all."

"I know, I like to consider the emotions of those around me."

"So noble of you."

"Don't you think?"

"Goodnight, Ken."

"And no sneaking over to my bed in the middle of the night and attempting to do dirty things to me while I sleep, you hear?"

"I'll try to resist."

"I have a wicked right hook, you know."

"Ken?"

"Yes, _darling_?"

"You're hilarious."

"...You're teasing me."

"Yes. Now, stop talking."

"Ass-face."

"Did you just call me an _ass-face_?" Ran was beginning to doubt his roommate was really all that coherent at the moment. He had probably drunk a little more than he let on.

"No."

"Good_night_, Ken."

"I'm only joking about you wanting me, you know."

"Right." The redhead sighed and sat up, shifting to remove his trousers and shirt and slip under his covers for the night.

"It's not like I think you're really attractive and have kind of wanted to jump you all evening, or anything."

Ran froze with his shirt halfway over his head, "...Right."

"So don't think like that, 'kay?" The brunet was practically mumbling now.

The shirt slipped to the floor and a soft voice replied, "I won't."

"Mm 'night, Ran..."

The room was silent.

* * *

_"Bound by wild desire, I fell into a ring of fiiiire!"  
_Reviews are appreciated. 


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